Australian Magpies nesting
A few weeks ago we noticed the resident Australian Magpies in our orchard busily gathering nesting material to refurbish the nest they used last year. All has been quiet for the last few weeks – until this morning.
As I was walking down the driveway to collect the newspaper I heard the very distinctive begging calls of a baby magpie in the nest. I guess we’ll have a pair of very busy parents kept occupied feeding the hungry youngsters over the coming weeks.
Australian Magpie
I recently rescued a baby Magpie and now it and the parents come to my yard every day. Can I feed them and what do they like also how can I find out there sex. Any info is appreciated, thanks Gary
Hi there Gary,
Try not to feed them too much – only 3 or 4 times a week, and only as a treat, otherwise they will become dependent on your food. This could have dire consequences when you go away for a holiday.
You can read much more about helping magpies by reading the comments by my readers on this article I wrote some time ago:
http://www.trevorsbirding.com/baby-magpie/
In the early months of a magpie’s life it is not easy to tell its sex. After about a year the downy feathers have gone and then you can tell the difference. The male has sharp black and white colours while the female has slightly more grey and speckled feathers, especially in the back.